Set over the course of
one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed
misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave
and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own
first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.”

My Thoughts:

The first thing I noticed about this book was the
beautiful cover. It was so simple yet it caught my attention immediately, and I
am so glad. Guys, this book was amazing. Eleanor and Park is such an incredible
coming of age story and I am so happy I was able to read it!

This book was just so deep and emotional. Rainbow
hit the mark on this book perfectly. What I really loved about this story were
the characters, Eleanor and Park. Each character was just so incredible and lovable. I really adored seeing how Eleanor and Park’s relationship grew over
time. It was such a realistic approach to young love that I was reminded of my
high school days.

The romance wasn’t the only thing I loved. Seeing
Eleanor’s home life and watching her struggle really added to the story.
Sometimes she really aggravated me with how she acted or what she said, but
then I saw why. It just was such a strong part for me.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the
ending. I wanted more and it felt a bit too open for me. I kind of hope there
will be a sequel or companion in the future!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

“Anna remembers a time
before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her
mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is
gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next
stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys
her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give
boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other
kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems
to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that
even Anna can't know.

Then comes Sam. When
Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats
dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear.
And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to
offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys is a
story of breaking down and growing up.”

My Thoughts:

This book has been one of the hardest I have ever
had to review, simply because it was just so strange. To begin with, I wasn’t
expecting what this story was really about. I figured it was going to be a
fluffy coming of age story but I was so wrong. Uses for Boys is a much darker
and mature story centered on a young girl.

This story focuses on what Anna feels is love. By
being neglected by her mother and father at a young age, she turned to what she
thought as a substitute – sex. It was such a depressing story but I saw the
importance in it. While not everyone is graced with stable parents, others try
to fill that void the best they can. For Anna, it was the company of boys.
Instead of using her mind and personality, she used her body to attract love.

The story is meant to make you feel uncomfortable in
my opinion and in my case it did. While it was awkward to read at some points I
could vividly picture this kind of thing happening to someone in real life. The
writing was very well done and I lost myself in Anna’s mind quite often.

As I said before, this book was hard for me to review.
It was just so strange. If you want and out of the box coming of age story try
reading Uses for Boys. There are large amounts of mature themes in the book
though, so be wary of that.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted
by Jill at Breaking the
Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're
eager for.

Title: 45 Pounds (More or Less) by K.A.
Barson

Released:July
11th 2013

Summary from Goodreads:“Here
are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.
And a size 17.
Her perfect mother is a size 6.
Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 8 weeks, and wants Ann to be her
bridesmaid.
So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in two
months.

Welcome to the world of informercial diet plans, terrifying wedding dance
lessons, endless run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—and some surprises
about her NOT-so-perfect mother.

And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin
-- no matter how you add it up!”

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

“She’s been six
different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in
Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to
rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve
given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past
eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth
did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just
about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t
help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s
too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just
might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her
family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really
matters — survival.”

My Thoughts:

When this book first came into my radar, I was
beyond intrigued. I have always been interested in what a person has to endure
while they are in the witness protection program. I super excited for the book
needless to say. Yet, with there being so much potential for an amazing story,
I was saddened when the whole thing fell flat for me.

In the beginning of the novel, the story felt so
strong. I mean, I had to force myself to stop reading to do other things. I was
so drawn into the mystery of Megan and her family and wondering what could have
happened to them to put them in such a situation that they had to become new
people.

Later as the story progressed, my feelings started to
change. I started to slowly lose interest in the story and the direction it was
headed. While I really liked Megan in the beginning, I couldn’t stand her by
the end. I just had so many issues with her character that I started to not
care about the book at all. I found her annoying and selfish. It was obvious
her and her family were in a large amount of danger and yet she made such bold
decisions that often put not only her, but her whole family in jeopardy. It aggravated
me so much I just wanted to reach into the book and slap her! Simply put I
couldn’t connect with Megan and I like that greatly impacted my whole
experience with the book.

Another person I found myself loathing was Teeny,
Megan’s little sister. While the reader is supposed to feel bad for Teeny because
of her mental state of changing identities so much, I just couldn’t stand her! She
was so whiny and a brat. I had no care for her at all.

A large portion of the story has to do with Megan’s
romantic life. Now, I don’t mind romance here and there, but when it completely
drowns out the plot of the book, then I have a problem. The romance between
Megan and Ethan felt so rushed and insta-loveish. It didn’t help the story
progress at all. In fact, most of the decisions Megan made had to do with
Ethan. She literally endangered her family just to see a boy. It was just so irritating.

Now, I didn’t completely hate this book. I really
loved the thriller parts of the book and the mystery of what happened to Megan
and her family. I just wish there were more parts of that, instead of the love
story.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing
with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way
will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumors, the insults,
the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's
ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island
because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove
it to him.

Three very different girls who want the
same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a
taste.”

My Thoughts:

I first read Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy
and fell in love with it. When I heard she was coming out with a new book I
could not wait. I loved the idea of three very different girls coming together
for one thing – revenge.

The one thing that I really liked about this story
was how three girls bonded and came together. Out of all of them, Mary’s
perspectives were by far my favorite. I could identify more with Mary and her
past than the other two and wanted to see how her end of the revenge worked
out. As for the other two, Lillia and Kat, I didn’t really get attached to.
Lillia’s character seemed to me like the typical popular girl. To me there wasn’t
anything special to her. My feelings were the same for Kat too.

As far as the actual plot, I really enjoyed seeing
the planning and scheming the girls did. The actual revenge scenes themselves
were satisfying and totally drama filled. While I loved some parts of the book,
others just felt boring and cliché. Just like typical high school drama, which
I mean is okay, but I was expecting something a little more.

While I read this book thinking it was a
contemporary, but towards the end there’s a plot twist that completely throws
me off. The whole story takes a huge turn that made me confused. It just wasn’t
what I was expecting.

While the book is very entertaining and I did enjoy
it, it just wasn’t amazing. If you’re looking for a lighter read then I suggest
picking this up.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

“The Long Black Coffin
is a '67 GTO. A street-eater and a life-taker. Like an open grave, it's hungry
for death.

Vic Tamberlyn committed suicide in it. His son Kurt asphyxiated in it. Maybe
there's no connection, but Kurt's best friend, Johnny Breede, doesn't believe
it. He begins seeing dark connections, convinced that beneath the skin of the
Coffin there beats a black, terrible heart. But it's even worse than he can
imagine.

For the Long Black Coffin has a history. And that history will lead Johnny into
a web of murder, insanity, and sexual perversion. He'll learn gruesome family
secrets that connect a decade-old series of child abductions to a primordial
evil that lives on in the car in the form of a sadistic teenage girl.

A girl whose mother was human, but whose father was anything but.”

My Thoughts:

I
have never been a huge horror fan but I’ve been trying to branch out and read
different things. While I was browsing netgalley one day, this book caught my
attention right away. While it wasn’t the best read ever, it was still
enjoyable.

The
writing was super creepy and compelling and captivated me from the prologue
(which was creepy and made we want to read more). The writing kind of reminded
me of Stephen King’s (which is saying a ton). The main protagonist Johnny
Breede was funny and full of spunk but still was practical and had a conscious.

While
the story mostly had an eerie moods, there were some pretty cool scenes in it
too. There was a lot of drug and party scenes that led to some interesting
comments. My favorite line would have to be “Swear I just saw a unicorn smoking
joints with centaurs”! Yes – that’s actually from the story. Those druggie
scenes were majorly cray. I really liked these parts because as a new horror
reader, it was nice to have some light parts to calm my nerves.

Now,
onto the gory goodness. The actual horror story was really interesting,
especially with the dark themes and mystery involved with this story. Kurt, who
was Johnny’s best friend, played a huge role to the plot in the beginning. I
really liked seeing his obsession with his father and trying to analyze his
life. The real central part about Kurt was the introduction to his father who
was cruel and had a deadly secret. The whole story from there has to do with
Johnny discovering what it is and dealing with the demons that came with it.

There
were a lot of sexual scenes that kind of added a weird twist to the story. If
you don’t like sex or are too young, then I don’t suggest reading this book.
There were parts in the book that felt long and drawn out but later those parts
lead to something greater. Also, the mystery was built over time and actually
served a purpose rather than a filler. Really loved that too.

Towards
the end I started losing interest in the story simply because I got tired of
the sex. Other than that, I’d recommend this book to those looking for a horror
novel that isn’t super gory.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

“Valerie always wanted to be the smart
girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the
truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s
telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has
a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.”

My Thoughts:

I
never feel comfortable talking or reading about rape because of how intense and
horrific it can be. While I have not read many books on the topic I was
interested in this young adult version because I wanted to see a younger
perspective on it. I wanted to see how a young girl would cope with the
aftermath of such a horrifying event. Sadly though, Rape girl fell short for
me. Now, don’t get me wrong, the story has some very powerful and realistic scenes
that left me feeling raw.

I
really wanted to connect to Valarie and feel all the pain and sorrow she had to
go through, but I couldn’t really feel anything for her. This whole book is
super short and to be honest it felt incomplete by the end and some chapters
felt like they were put together at the last minute. I just didn’t have enough
time with Valarie to actually develop strong enough feelings for her struggle.
Also, I had a huge problem with her character too.

While
Valarie went through an unforgivable experience, it deeply bothered me on how
she seemed only concerned with how other’s would view her rather than trying to
cope. It bothered me so much because I just couldn’t connect with that at all.
I wanted to be in her mind and see how her mental health was after the event
and see how she worked through that. The social aspect just really turned me
off. I mean Valarie’s mother having her breakdown felt more realistic to me
than anything else. It was just so frustrating, and the ending didn’t do
anything for me either.

While
this book missed the mark for me, I do see the importance of this story. Rape
Girl is a powerful and graphic novel I feel would be great for young readers.
While the story didn’t go into enough depth for me, I think it would be a great
read for younger readers wanting a glimpse of tougher issues.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted
by Jill at Breaking the
Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're
eager for.

Title: The Walking Dark by Robin Wasserman

Released:September 10th 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

“They called it the killing day. Twelve
people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors,
relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All
of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no
answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or
whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and
hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of
upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness,
five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from
destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden
boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's
not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice,
fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common.
They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have
no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in
themselves.”

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

“Every day a different
body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made
peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too
attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets
Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been
living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be
with—day in, day out, day after day.”

My Thoughts:

I have never read a
book quite like Every Day in my entire reading life.

When I first went into
this novel, I expected it to only focus on the romance but I was so wrong. This
story is about all the different people in the world. It’s so beautiful and
just amazing. I really loved seeing A go through the bodies and seeing the
lives they lived through a new perspective. It made me really think about how everyone is unique in their
own way. That was my favorite part of the whole book. The journey through each
person.

The love A had for
Rhiannon was deep. I mean he/she found every way possible to be near her. I
know that sounds creepy to some people but I found it kind of sweet. The only
thing I didn't like about the book was how it ended. I felt like there were too
many questions left unanswered and it simply felt rushed. I kind of hope there’s
a companion or sequel in the future because I want to know what happened to A
and also Rhiannon.

So overall, I am so
happy I read this book. It’s original and brings up a tons of thought provoking
questions. It’s a very beautiful book.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

“New York is a bayou.
New Orleans is a reef. The entire country has been devastated by natural
disasters and governmental collapse, and on top of everything else there is the
annoying problem of zombies trying to devour you at every turn. But
sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are about to discover the
most frightening thing yet: being abandoned in this horrific world by their own
parents.

Left with only a bag of clothes and a first-aid kit, Nora and Addis begin a
harrowing journey to connect with anyone who isn't looking to rob them or eat
them. A wounded man wrecks a meal of green beans and French fries at the top of
the Space Needle in Seattle. An attempt to get a good night’s sleep in a
fortified motel is ruined by an undead face staring at them through the window.
And they just can’t seem to shake someone – something – that’s been following
them everywhere they go….

Meanwhile, a girl named Julie is traveling toward the city in an SUV with her
parents. She is only twelve, but has already seen friends die and her school
burn. She has watched her father become nearly as cold and remorseless as the
Dead. All she wants is someplace to call home, even if it never really will be.

And somewhere nearby, a tall man awakens in the woods, unsure of exactly where
he is, or even who he is. As he struggles to remember details of his life, a
single consonant comes to him: R. He is…a name that begins with R….

Isaac Marion once again demonstrates his remarkable gifts as a storyteller as
he brings the world of WARM BODIES back to life. Grounding his characters in
real emotion, Marion makes you root for them to save the world even as they
simply try to stay alive.”

My Thoughts:

It’s no secret that I loved Warm Bodies and when I
found out Isaac made a prequel I may have squealed and flailed a bit. Even
though it’s so short, I LOVED IT. I just LOVED it.

Its incredible how in such a short novella, Isaac
was able to create such an apocalyptic world that seemed so real I felt like I
was part of it. Seeing R from when he first turns was so insightful. I really
liked watching him try to fight of becoming a zombie and to try and stay as
human as possible. It made me like him even more than I did originally and I
didn’t think that was possible. R’s story was probably my favorite out of the
three because of how profound and deep is thoughts are. R is such a complex and
interesting character because he is so different.

It was neat seeing Julie as a child and seeing some
insight into her. Though I thought it was a tad boring I still liked seeing a
snippet of her mother.

The most depressing and terrifying story involves
Nora and Addis. To be fair, I feel like this whole prologue was Nora’s and just
featured R and Julie. It was heart breaking to watch Nora struggle to survive
and protect her little brother from the world and the monsters inhabiting it. I
was such a contrast of seeing Addis in this world. He’s only a boy and still
has his innocence. I really loved him and the happy lightness he added to the
book.

This novella really helped answer some questions I
had while reading Warm Bodies. It’s insightful and an emotional roller-coaster.
If you liked Warm Bodies or zombie novels, than I suggest picking this up.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

“Katie is on the verge
of her Rumspringa, the
time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the
real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent.
Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out
there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in.
But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die.
She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The
suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages
turning.”

My Thoughts:

This book was perfect. I absolutely adored it from
beginning to end.

I have never read a book such as The Hallowed Ones
before but Laura beautifully blended two genres I never thought would go
together – dystopian and religion. Yet, this story was so incredible and so unique.

The writing was beautiful and captivating and I just
couldn’t get enough. The actual story itself was haunting and disturbing. The
religious beliefs made the story feel even more eerie and I feel like that
added to the mood of the book a lot. The monsters in this book were terrifying
and gave me chills. They were just so creepy!

I really loved Katie and how strong of character she
was. Katie was a fighter and stood up for what she believed in. I mean that’s
saying a ton considering how she brought up. I loved seeing her question
everything and making her own path. I just really loved Katie.

Even the romance between Katie and Alex was sweet
and actually helped push the story along rather than smother it. I really loved
these two together and I don’t often say that about characters in books.

Overall guys this book is incredible and I can’t
stop gushing about it. I feel like this book is under rated and totally
recommend you all pick it up!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted
by Jill at Breaking the
Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're
eager for.

Title: Of
Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Released:July 23rd 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was
a girl, and in the girl was a secret...
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to
be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert
outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous,
from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to
both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised
for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner,
Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she
begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to
believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood,
returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she
has come to love."

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About Moi

My name is Kat and I'm 19. I love books and read a lot. I'm going to attend college to become a librarian because books mean so much to me. I created this blog to share my thoughts and feelings on the books I read. If you have any questions please email me at katvela12345@hotmail.com! Thanks for stopping by :)

Rating System!

4.75/5 - 5/5- An amazing book. Go out and buy it now because it is worth your time and money!4/5 - 4.5 - Really good book. Has a few flaws but still is great.3/5 - 3.5/5 - A "likable" book. Nothing amazing but nothing horrible either, still is an enjoyable book.2/5 - 2.5/5- An "okay'' Book. Borrow worthy.1/5 - 1.5 - This book was not for me.